Abstracts

Car-Free Cities - Myth or Possibility? Exploring the boundaries of sustainable urban transport

by Catherine McKenzie

The paper uses case-study material from a number of North European and UK cities to explore the types of initiatives that are being considered under the 'car-free city' movement. These are analysed using models of radical and conservative sustainable development. The paper suggests that even in municipalities actively claiming to be pursuing a 'green' agenda, only a very conservative interpretation of sustainable development is being implemented. This can, in part, be explained by exploring the changing role and function of the local state in late-modern society and, in particular, its heightened role in pursuing local economic development within a global marketplace. This, it is argued, places substantial limitations on the nature and extent of sustainable urban transport policies that are being, and can be, implemented, with important social and environmental consequences.

Sustaining Africa's rural road networks: The asset management approach

by John Howe

Many rural roads in Africa are 'returning to the bush' because of inadequate maintenance. This is not helped by development loans which encourage construction of new roads and rehabilitation of existing infrastructure rather than better value ongoing maintenance. Much of the problem lies in the technical arguments put to decision makers. Here we see the argument put in a way that non-technical people can understand them.

Techniques for planning local networks: Developing a walking strategy

by Les Lumsdon & Rodney Tolley

Walking as a mode of transport has declined in importance due, in part, to motorisation. There is a recognition among transport professionals in the UK that this needs to be redressed. The key in developing such strategies is their adoption and implementation at a local level. An outline model walking strategy is provided and there is a case study of the Lothian Region's strategy.

Urban cycling options in the free market

by Stephen Knight

The City Council in Auckland, New Zealand, has known since the late 1970s that apparently marginal activities such as cycling and walking can significantly benefit the urban environment. Despite this, lack of foresight has left the city with restricted capacity to take advantage of these low-tech options. However, the full implementation of a proposed national transport model may see the payment of ecological, social and economic costs of private vehicle by users. This may provide an impetus for a better balance between transport options for Auckland.

Prospects for sustainable transportation in the Pacific Northwest: a comparison of Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland.

by Preston L. Schiller & Jeff Kenworthy

A variety of transportation and land use performance indicators and trends are examined for the major cities of the Pacific Northwest region of North America. To the casual observer these cities may appear more similar than different. However, the data examined reveal substantial differences between Vancouver and its neighbours to the south, Seattle and Portland, especially in regards to population density, motorisation, transit use and the rate of growth in car use.

The TGV Effect: A Potential opportunity for reconciling sustainability with aviation

by Judith Patterson & Anthony Perl

The aviation industry is presently in a stage of rapid growth. Soon, however, increasing urban air pollution, rising greenhouse gas concentrations, regulatory policies, and finite oil reserves will create constraints on the expansion of the industry. High speed rail journeys of under three hours may become an alternative for aviation. A switch to high speed rail for short haul journeys could also free room for expansion of long haul markets for aviation thus obviating the need for airport infrastructure expansion. To explore this hypothesis, the impact of high speed rail on French civil aviation is examined. Modal substitution and intermodal complimentarity may be part of the solution for making aviation economically and environmentally sustainable.

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